Session: Solid and perfect

It was SOLID this morning, solid and perfect. but the probleme was to be just placed at the good place. That's why I only took few waves. Those waves were really good, hollow and fast. The left was easier than the right.

Session: Yes !

What a good session ! At the end of the day, the wind dropped surprinsingly. It was glassy and perfect. The bowl was clean and delivered rights and lefts. It was like paradise.it was a realfunny session.

hightlights : a left tube in front of a cameraman, good backside top turns

Session: Haaa enfin !

No one in the water. the wind was onshore but the waves were so long that it became a good session : long rights peeling around a good low tide sandbank.This session was better thant the one in the morning.

Session: Going out on a flat day

Decided to try paddling out to Mavericks just to get some exercise and be ready for my plan to paddle out on the first small swell next Winter.

Just moved to San Francisco from Lawrence, Kansas to work for Twitter. Did some surfing in Galveston TX when I was a kid and wanted to get back into it. I saw Step into Liquid and decided I'd give it a shot again (after 15 years), so I bought a 10'6 PSH gun from a guy on craigslist for $900.

A little out of shape (been surfing only two times recently. Before that, last time I surfed was 5 years ago, in, believe it or not, Lake Michigan, that was cold), the paddle was really really long, especially since I was still getting a feeling for the board since I'd only taken it out to Linda Mar on a couple of small days.

Went out through the breakwater (I think they call this the "lagoon" but I don't know why), and out past the rocks. I'm not sure where the real lineup is, and the swell was just barely showing so I couldn't really find it.

No sharks, no boats, just calm water and 4 hours of slow paddling out and back. Not even really spooky at all. Mavericks was sleeping.

Session: How to put 6 stars ?

I recently said that I have "a top five in my life" session. But this year is so good that I will need soon to reconsider my standard of what is a good session. IJust never saw such a perfection in Gironde

I could put 6 stars on this session, I will do it even there was no tube.

First part : the perfect right. 8 surfers (with the 2 usual la jenny idiots), incredible glassy wave, 150 m of ride. Top turn - cut back - top turn cut back - etc.... No less than 10tricks on a single wave.

Second part : the bull dog left. 3 surfers. With the high tide the left started to work. Even if it was not as good as the rigth, it becam better and better.

I finally decided to come back home after my 47 ieme wave. Exhausted, burned but happy !

Session: Sun and Surf

Couldnt resist a half day off work to head up to surf in the Sun.. its not often that we get good weather and waves.. have to make the most of it. Good wee session. managed to get some nice waves both right and left !

Buddies:

Created: Tuesday March 29 2011 04:13:04 PM

Modified: Tuesday March 29 2011 04:13:04 PM

Hits: 1641

Session: Very good sand bank

We didn't expected much swell. And the start of the session was not very good on the bank : the left was mellow. Enough to surf but nothing very good. Then the right started to work. The right was easy too surf but very long ! Only 3 on the wave. Jerome and Loig.

Session: Intense

I surfed Banzai for years and it was always fun to surf. The wave is a short, but extremely powerful bowl that breaks into a hollow tube for 15-20 meters. The takeoff is tough, as only late takeoffs will access the wave, it is a matter of standing and turning right away, to travel inside the hollow tube. Alternatively, you can go straight and do a powerful bottom turn, but beware of shallow corals full of urchins. After the bottom turn and maybe one visit to the lip, your wave is pretty much over, it is that short. It is located on the East side of a deep canal that allows ships the access to the port of Boca Chica and to get there, you must paddle across that canal. The West side of the canal has another break called La Boya, which is also listed on this site. Banzai is great when all other spots are too small, as waves here are about 2 feet higher than other breaks.

Session: Top 5 all times

This type session justifies a life of training and commitment. The sandbank was just perfect, the swell too (1.2,1.5m - 10s) and I was alone for 1 hour then we were only two on the left. The dream. I took the right board 6'4".

The wave was a left aroun a bowl. You had a long wall with a tube. I took 3 beautiful tubes (nice entry, nice ride inside, nice exit). I am so happy about this session.

Session: Haaa, surf again !

Haaa, after 1 month of big surf, we have"normal" waves : 1.20m with very good sandbanks at low tide. I got a lot waves very very fun (only backside). I was just a little disappointed because of the col (my feet especially) but it was all in all a very good session.

Session: First Time Surfing on Big Island

I rented a board across the street. There are stairs down to the surf end of Kahalu'i. The water was pretty clear so you can see a nice channel for paddling out without hitting any of the coral heads.

I didn't surf over the reef where the waves were bigger. There were a lot of people back there! Some of the waves were overhead. Lots of closeouts, but there were some waves with decent faces. I'm just not into that scene. I'm too old...I paddle like a girl...meh!

Where I was surfing it was easy to catch the reforming waves. The coral heads are a concern so I made sure I didn't surf too close to the shore or jump off/fall off the board...I am always freaked out that a moray will come out of the coral and bite me since I almost got bitten when I was in Kaua'i. One time I got a coral cut on my foot and it got infected and I limped around for a month! I try not to be too concerned about these possibilities, but I just can't help it!

Despite my paranoia, I got a lot of good waves. The waves peak up quickly because of the coral so you have to ride along the face or try not to drop too fast and end up way ahead of the wave...I saw a lot of people doing this. The waves reforms a couple times so you can get a pretty good ride...not as long as my favorite spot Canoes but fun. I had to bail on some waves because some surfer students fell off the boards and were flopping around in the soup...oooh, been there done that! I have empathy so I pull out of the wave and keep a safe distance from them.

A honu popped up beside me with a snorkeler in pursuit (apparently not realizing she was harassing an endangered species. She left when she realized she was now snorkeling in the middle of the surf area...not a good idea!

I liked checking out the sea life in between the sets. There are plentiful tropical fish at Kahalu'u. When I was riding one wave, my board shadow frightened a school of lau'pala. It loked like an underwater stampede of yellow fish. There were also uhu and other parrotfish, a bunch of wrasse in various colors, big Moorish Idols (I've never seen them that big) and other fish that I don't know the names of. The water was so clear and beautiful...it looks like the coral heads are just under the water surface...I kept reassuring myself it was just an optical illusion.

It was a nice mellow surf session for me. I didn't spend very much time out because It was a little choppy for about 30 minutes; I kept getting pushed toward the rocky shore. My shoulder started to hurt from constantly paddling to keep way from the rocks. Sucks to be old, but days like this make it all so worthwhile!